Recently, there are photoprint amusement apparatuses set up at game centers and tourist spots. The photoprint amusement apparatus is to combine, by superimposition, a subject image with a pre-set image called the picture-frame image or stamp image, thereby making a photoprint of a composite image (Japanese Patent Disclosure 2000-78501A).
The picture-frame or stamp image is set previously with a transparent region. The image previously provided with a transparent region is referred to as a partially-transparent image. For example, in case a partially-transparent image shown in FIG. 28 is superimopsed on a photographic image shown in FIG. 15, then obtained is a resultant image as shown in FIG. 29. With such combining, it is possible to obtain such a composite image that could not be obtained by merely taking a picture of the subject.
However, in the prior art, the partially-transparent image utilizable for combining is limited to the partially-transparent image prepared previously in the apparatus or the partially-transparent image acquired through the network, hence being limited in varieties and kinds. Thus, users not always obtain a composite image they desire.
It is intended to provide an apparatus and method for processing a photographic image which allows for creating a variety of composite images, on the electronic appliances, such as the cellular telephone having a camera function.